Syed Qamar Raza, Chairman of the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF), has confirmed that direct consular services in the UK will continue [1, 2].

This clarification comes as a response to misinformation regarding the visa processing system in the United Kingdom. Ensuring a dual system remains in place prevents potential delays in travel documents and provides multiple options for the Pakistani community living abroad.

In a communication to Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Raza confirmed that the existing framework will remain. He backed the continuation of a dual visa consular system—a model where direct mission services and private agencies operate simultaneously.

According to reports, the OPF Chairman sought to clear confusion surrounding the role of Gerry's and Pak ID services [1, 2]. The move is intended to assure the community that they will not be forced to rely solely on private providers for essential consular services.

"Direct consular services by Pakistan's missions in the UK will continue alongside Gerry's and Pak ID," Raza said [1].

By maintaining this dual approach, the government aims to reduce the bottleneck of applications that often plague private contractors. This ensures that the Pakistani diaspora in the UK can access services through official channels or third-party agencies based on their preference or urgency.

Raza's communication to Ishaq Dar emphasizes the priority of the government to streamline the process for overseas Pakistanis. The goal is to provide a clear path for visa issuance and document renewal without the confusion that often accompanies changes in administrative shifts in consular missions.

“direct consular services by Pakistan's missions in the UK will continue alongside Gerry's and Pak ID”

The maintenance of a dual consular system in the UK reflects a government effort to balance efficiency with accessibility. By allowing both official missions and private providers like Gerry's and Pak ID to operate, Pakistan avoids the total outsourcing of critical identity documents, which often leads to friction between the rest of the diaspora and the same private contractors.